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But blame the slope of the yard, or the lush canopies of the aged oaks, because thanks to both of those features, anyone passing a house on Forest Hills Drive would have no idea a 45-foot-tall Ferris wheel stands in its backyard.

The fully functional Ferris wheel, complete with more than 500 multicolored lights, has a starring role in an upcoming Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie filming now around Wilmington.

"Christmas in Conway" stars Andy Garcia ("Ocean's Eleven") as a man who builds a Ferris wheel in his backyard as a Christmas present to his ailing wife, Suzy ("Weeds" star Mary Louise Parker). Mandy Moore co-stars as Suzy's nurse.

Monday morning, while scenes were being filmed inside a house nearby, Paul Myers was greasing the gears of the Ferris wheel and checking to make sure that camera equipment added to a seat wouldn't interfere with the operation.

Myers works for Sound Concepts, a company based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, known for designing concerts and special events. But thanks to an owner fascinated with Ferris wheels, the company also offers those for rent.

Typical gigs include corporate parties or fundraisers. But every once in a while Hollywood comes knocking. Sound Concepts provided Ferris wheels for "Transformers 3" and "The Lone Ranger."

The wheel Myers brought to Wilmington, a 40,000-pound ride with deep red seats, recently came out of storage. Before Forest Hills, it last stood together on the roof of the Boardwalk Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Sound Concepts bought the wheel before the casino was demolished to make way for the CityCenter in 2006.

Trucked here in the trailer of a semi, the wheel was re-assembled over three days. And that was the fun part for Myers, who said he rarely gets out of his Cedar Rapids office.

"It's nice to actually go out and actually put one together," he said.

The 35-foot-long wheel was built by the Eli Bridge Co. in 1921, using the same hot rivet assembly method used to construct the Empire State Building.

It was built to last, Myers said.

And it's safe to ride. In North Carolina, all Ferris wheels intended for people to ride, whether used for private functions or county fairs, have to be inspected by the Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau.

The wheel, which hasn't been painted since it came out of storage at the request of the movie production, will keep turning for another week or two as production wraps up in Wilmington.

Then Myers, who restores classic cars as a hobby, will get to turn his full attention to restoring the wheel this winter.